Vision First—The How Will Follow

April 6, 2017

It’s tempting for an organization to dive right into planning before defining a strong vision for their company, department, or project. According to Michael Hyatt, bestselling author, podcaster, and owner of a multi-million-dollar online training company, it’s simple: “Vision always precedes strategy.” While both are crucial, even the best strategy will fail to save a project that lacks a well-defined vision.

It’s not enough to have a good plan. “You’ve got to get clear on the what before you address the question of how,” Hyatt states. Until a company knows exactly where it’s going (vision), it won’t be able to choose the best route and the right resources (strategy) to get there.

Here’s why:

Small thinking

Defining a vision allows us to expand and reach for the once-unthinkable. A strategy-first approach prevents teams from fully developing a vision. It does this by forcing them to focus on operational details and the barriers to how things will be accomplished instead of the big picture.

Motivational lapses

Excitement about your vision enables you to recruit others, secure resources, and stay the course over time. Without a strong, well-articulated vision, you will fail to motivate yourself or others to implement the supporting strategy necessary for success.